Neil Morrice brings us all of his best bets and tips from Sunday’s racing coming your way from Deauville, Salisbury, Windsor, and Thirsk.
DEAUVILLE
Race 4 PRIX MAURICE DE GHEEST (Group 1)
No10 EARTHLIGHT
Trainer: Andre Fabre – Jockey: Mickael Barzalona
This highlight of the second Sunday of the Deauville Festival revolves around a potential superstar in the Godolphin-owned EARTHLIGHT and I’m honour bound to card Andre Fabre’s unbeaten colt the Nap vote, taking stock of the fact that the son of Shamardal is already a dual Group 1 winner. Those Prix Morny and Middle Park Stakes triumphs are sandwiched between another four triumphs including a clear cut delivery in a Listed race here on his return from an injury setback. Ironically it’s another Godolphin colt that could cause him most problems and that brings into play the four-year-old SPACE BLUES, who is looking to extend his winning sequence to four, and appears to be progressing at a rate of knots. The Dubawi colt toyed with his foes in a Group 2 at Goodwood after taking out a Group 3 at Longchamp and is very highly regarded by trainer Charlie Appleby. On a recovery mission is GOLDEN HORDE, who after blitzing the Commonwealth Cup at Royal Ascot could only manage third in the July Cup but he is a Group 1 winner and probably better than he showed at Newmarket. Ryan Moore prefers LOPE Y FERNANDEZ of the two Aidan O’Brien runners, with Frankie Dettori reunited with WICHITA. Lope Y Fernandez ran Pinatubo to half a length over seven furlongs here last month while Wichita made Kameko fight for the spoils in the 2,000 Guineas but hasn’t managed to repeat that level of form in his two subsequent outings. HELLO YOUMZAIN could set the pace, but the Diamond Jubilee Stakes winner needs to raise his game after finishing fifth, two places back from Golden Horde in the July Cup. If there’s a joker in the pack it might be WOODED, but his prospects are ground dependent and there isn’t any rain forecast.
Prediction –
1st EARTHLIGHT, 2nd Golden Horde, 3rd Space Blues, 4th Lope Y Fernandez, 5th Wichita, 6th Wooded
SALISBURY
Race 2 No11 RAINS OF CASTERMERE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Things didn’t go to plan for RAINS OF CASTERMERE when he was beaten into third at Musselburgh last month. Strong in the market, the gelding lost his position early in the straight but rallied to finish best of all, though never looking as if he would trouble the winner Alix James. Given a stronger pace to aim at this dual all-weather scorer can figure.
Race 6 AJN STEELSTOCK SOVEREIGN STAKES (Group 3)
No4 DUKE OF HAZZARD
Trainer: Paul Cole – Jockey: David Probert
DUKE OF HAZZARD can boost the claims of Space Blues at Deauville by notching a first success of the season in this track’s most important race. The Lope De Vega colt might not head the market but arguably has the best form, having finished third to subsequent Sussex Stakes hero Mohaather in the Group 2 Summer Mile at Ascot before chasing home Space Blues in the Lennox Stakes at Goodwood. He gave it everything that day and if handling these undulations as adroitly can have too much for Positive and Motakhayyel to handle. Positive scored on his debut here last June and has been highly tried this year, finishing fourth in the St James’s Palace Stakes and sixth in a Group 1 at Chantilly won by Persian King. His trainer Clive Cox won this in 2015 and 2016 and has elected to fit first time blinkers. Motakhayyel has shown he’s on the up and up by landing a couple of tough handicaps, but needs another step forward if he’s to prevail. He may have to settle for minor pickings.
Race 9 No8 SINGLE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: George Bass
Though proving extremely hard to win with, SINGLE is worth backing to take out the nightcap. Second in three of her five outings this year, she ran her worst race when the money was down on her at Beverley. First time cheek pieces made no difference to her on that occasion, but she ran better against Frankenstella at Pontefract, and worked well last week.
WINDSOR
Race 1 No5 ILLYKATO (Nap)
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Ben Curtis
ILLYKATO belied her 25-1 starting price when finishing second to Ventura Diamond on debut at Goodwood and this talented individual has been granted a first rate opportunity to go one better. She encountered traffic problems on that occasion, without which she might have won, and has learned a lot from the experience.
Race 6 No3 VITARE
Trainer: Mick Channon – Jockey: Oisin Murphy
A new trip can see VITARE making an overdue visit to the winner’s circle. A three-times beaten favourite from five starts this season, he’s been running over seven furlongs and latterly at six, at which he couldn’t hold Nearly A Gonna. But he’s a genuine horse, and can prove too strong for Royal Appointment.
THIRSK
Race 7 No3 OSTILIO
Trainer: Simon Crisford – Jockey: Andrea Atzeni
OSTILIO showed when second on his return from a year off at Haydock that he’s retained much of his ability, and could still become a horse to follow. The New Approach entire ran D’bai to just half a length on that occasion when finding the seven furlongs a shade sharp. He is going to relish today’s step up to a mile.
Race 8 No5 NOMADIC EMPIRE (Nap)
Trainer: David O’Meara – Jockey: Danny Tudhope
NOMADIC EMPIRE has the points on the board in this second division of the novice stakes, based on his two placed efforts at York. Form from a Grade 1 course is always worth its weight in gold when taken to a smaller venue and if running up to that level he will be very hard to beat.
